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W. F. SOMES AND C.' H. B, MORSE.. PISTON. nrruc'mou nm) mw 24. me..

*men-tea Jan..3,1922;

2 SHEETS-SHE l.

W. F. SOMES AND C. H. B. MORSE. Plson.

afrucmon man mm, uns,

-1,402,679, Paanted Jan. 3, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WALTERv F. SOME, 0F JAMAICA PLAIN', AND CHARLES H.

MASSACHUSETTS.

B. y MORSE, 0F ABOBTUN,

PIBTON'.

1 'o .ritt fui/wm it may concern.'

Be it known that we, WALTER F. Sowie and Ci-mnnns H, B. Mouse, citizens of the United States, und residents of Jamaica Plain and Boston, in the counties of Suiollc and Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pistons, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to n. iston and more particularly to ii piston wit ont piston rings especially adapted for use in internal combustion engines.

We are aware that the prior art discloses pistons havin followers comprising segments ndjusta le radially for taking up wear and for centerin the pistons within the cylinders. These ollowers do not take the place of the usuel piston rings nor do they supplement them in 'makin a gasor steam tight joint between the pistons and the cylinder walls. Furthermore, to eect radin adjustment of the segments of a foilower of this type it is 'necessary to remove the piston from the cylinder.

Pistons customarily employed in, internal combustion, engines are provided with one or more `expansible piston rings. These rings are n great source of trouble as they must bomade :from spring metal and when subjected to the high temperature existing in the cylinder of the envine, they become brittle and brezil: therebybbecoming useless. To replace broken rings it then becomes necessary to take down the engine and remove thepiston from the cylinder.

It is the principal ob'ect of our invention to provide nn improve piston articularly adapted for use in internal com nstioii engines which entirely obviates the necessity ol employingpistoii rings. More portici lai'ly nu object of the invention is to provide un improved piston comprising a plurality ci longitudinal sections having overlapping portions or tongues automatically expansible to maintain a tight [it within the cylinder. A further object is to provide a piston which is selladjusting and self-aligning within the cylinder, :ind which need not be removed from the cylinder for adjustment. A still further object of the invention is the provision of :i piston with self-adjustingwnll sections und a heed which is combined with the ladjustable wall sections in a Innner to Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Application led Hay 24,

Patented Jan. s, 1922. isis. serial m. 299,592@

alloiv easy assembly, and a strong ti ht connection with the sections which ermite them to ndjust'tliemselves to the cy inde;` walls. A further object of the invention is the pro vision of a. self-adjusting piston comprisin few and simple parts which is durable and easily assemb ed.

.In one aspect the invention consists in providing a piston havin a plurality of 1ongituclinal sections rovi ed with overlapping portions adaptedP to slide tngentally over each other, which sections are urged oiitwardly against the linder wall by a plurality ofsprings. Tiese sections are constantly pressed against the cylinder well so as' to maintain et all times a gas tight fit between the piston and cylinder. The sections further overlap :it their abutting edges in such manner as to maintain ,a gas tight fit between euch other. With this construction the entire outer` cylindrical surface' of the piston acts as a pistonring providing thereby a much. tighter t than heretofore attained. A

In another as ect .the invention consists in providing a sel adjusting piston ofthe type above outlined with a head which is so assembled thereto as to allow relative radial movement between it and the sections whereby the sections may automatically adjust themselves to the walls of the, cylinder, unrestrained by such head.

In another4 aspectthe invention consists .in providing a pistonhaving selfadjusting segments with connecting' Vrodpin seats in the form of bosses into which the ends of the pin may be seated.

In order to set forth the nature of the invention, we have illustrated certain ernbodiinents thereof in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a top view of the piston with the head removed;

Fig. 2 is an elevational vieu' of the piston;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33of Fig. 2, the springs being` shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 25

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through one form of piston hond;

bastion engines including a plurali of arcuate longitudinalsections havin ra 'ally overlapping portions, and means or effectingr the radio self-ad'ustment of the sections relative to the axis ol 4the piston.

2. A hollow piston for use in an internal l5 combustion engine cylinder or the like which is divided long,'it1`1dinally` into aplurality Vof arcuate sections, said sections being ex ansible automatically to maintain a tig t lit within the cylinder,I and having overlapping portions the abutting faces of said portions being parallel to the axis ofthe piston and adapted to slide tangentially over each other as the sections expand so as to maintain a tight fit between the sections.

3. A hollow piston. for use in an internal combustion engine cylinder or the like, which is divided longitudinally along axial -planes into a plurality of arcuate sections having overlapping portions, said sections 3U being expansible automatically to maintain a tight fit within the cylinder, `and the abutting :faces of said portions being disposed in longitudinal planes substantially parallel to the axis vso as to slide tangentially on each other as the sections expand, whereby the piston remains substantially gas tight as said sections expand.

4. A hollow piston com rising a plurality of lon 'tudinally exten ing arcuate sec- 40 tions,t e longitudinal ed es of said sections having interfitting over app'nlil portions, and means interposed between jacent seotions tending constantly to eilect radial ad justment of the sections relative to the axis of the piston.

5. A. hollow piston comprising a plural ity of lon itudinally extending arcuate sections, the onritudinal edges of said sections having interitting overlapping tongues, the

tongues on one end of each section being disposed in a staggered relation to the tongues on the other edge of said section, and a tangentally disposed spring interposed between two of said sections and tendmg; constantly to Veect radial adjustment of said sections relative to the axs of the piston.

6. A hollow piston consisting of a plurality of longitudinally extending, arcuate sections having outer peripheral surfaces adapted to fit a cylinder, means constructed and arranged to exert force in tangential directions for sealin the joints between said sections, said sec ons being freel movable radially, and means for yie dingly hliing said sections against the cylinder W sections, said sec 'ons being freel movable radially, and springs inter ose between adjacent sections for yielding y holding said sections against the cylinder wall.

8. A piston foruse in an internal ccmbustion engine cylinder or the like, which is divided longitudinally alon radial planes into a plurality of sections geving overlapping portions, chambered bosses disposed S0 alongthe vlongitudinal edges of seid sections and interiorly of said piston, and springs dis sed in said bosses tending lto ex and sai sections to maintain a tight lit Within the cylinder. i

9. A piston for use in au internal combustion engine cylinder or .the like. which is divided longitudinally along radial planes into a plurality of sections having overlapping portions, chambered bosses dis- 9o osed 1n alignment alon the contiguous ongitudinal e es of saic sections and interlorly of sai piston, and springs disposed 1n said bosses tending to expand said sections to maintain a tight'iitwithin the a5 cylinder.

10. A piston for use in an internal combustion engine cylinder ortho likc,com )rising a plurality of longitudinal sections aving interengaging portions, said sections 10o being expansible automatically to maintain a tight fit within the cylinder, and connecting rod (pin seats disposed on opposite sections an interiorly of the piston.

11. A piston for use in an internal combastion engine cylinder or the like including a wall portion, a head portion, the said portions being provided with a cooperating flange and groove whereby the head portion is secured to the wall portion, and a plurality of springs secured to said head and reacting against said sections-whereby normally to urge said head axially into contact with said sections.

12. A piston for use in an internal cornbustion engine cylinder or the like including a plurality of longitudinal' wall sections, said sections being expansiblc automaticallywto maintain a tight [it with tho cylinder, a bead for closing one end of said piston, means for securing the head to said wall sections so as to permit their exansion, and resilient means uing said cad in a direction axial of e piston whereby to rovide Va. tight joint between said head andJ the expansible sections.

13. A piston for use in an internal com bustion engine cylinder or the 4like including a plurality of longitudinal wall scctions, said sections being expanslble autolili ma-ticnlly to maintain n tight fit with the cylinder, a head for closing one end o'f seid piston, Ineens for securing the head to said wall sections so as to permit their expansion, a central boss on said head und springs secured in seid boss and engaging the interior of said wall sections 'for maintaining a. yieldin ti ht fit between said sections and said ea.

14. A hollow piston for internal cornbstion engines and consisting of e 111mlity of longltudnel arcuate wall inem ers, a tongue extending from one of said members, one bounding surface of said tone-ue lying in aradial plane and a second bounding surface being erallel to the exis of seid piston und a enresson formeel inen ncljacent wall mem er, one bounding surface of said depression lying in the same radial vplume as that of seid tongue, and a second bounding Surface coinciding with the second Surface of sind tongue whereb au edJustable it is secured between sei :LCL

jacent members that is ges tight both rml- :illy and longitudinally.

15. A. piston for internal combustion cn- ,gncs comprising an :ninulns built up of Supplemente-1 interitting overlapping- .sogments having freedom of movement on anch other to define solid of greater or lesser diznneterz the interitting surfaces including overlapping portions nfinintainingr gus-tight contact in respect to gas-How from ihc extelior to the interior surface of the struc.- ture, and in respect to gas How in thc direction of the nxis of the piston having' :in end cap closing the void in said unnnlus, bem-ing ineens for a connecting roll ou ippositc segments and tzuigentinlly disposed springs interposed between adjacent seg ments.

Signed by us :it Boston, Muss., this 21st clay of Mey, 1919,

WALTER F. SOMES. CHARLES H. B. MORSE. 

